Youthful Utahns: A Large Cohort of Millennials is Reshaping the Landscape in the Beehive State

Utah is, by far, the youngest state in the union. Our median age is 30.2, compared with the national median of 36.8. That means an enormous chunk of Utah’s population is comprised of Millennials. In fact, in the year 2000, Millennials overtook Baby Boomers as the largest living generation in Utah. That milestone didn’t happen nationally until this year.

Utah Millennials are distinct from their parent’s generation in many ways, from political leanings to demographic diversity. How will these young digital natives impact Utah’s political, social and cultural landscape in the years to come?

The Pew Research Center defines Millennials as those born between 1981 and the early 2000s.

Utah’s Rank among States of Each Generation/s Percentage 2013
Millennial 2nd
Gen X 46th</td
Boomer 51st
Silent 50th

How Generations Describe Themselves:

A Religious Person
Millennial 48%
Gen X 54%</td
Boomer 63%
Silent 75%

While fewer Utah Millennials describe themselves as religious than previous generations, they are still more religious than their national counterparts; only 36% of Millennials nationally describe themselves as religious.

A Supporter of Gay Rights
Millennial 42%
Gen X 35%</td
Boomer 34%
Silent 28%

Employment-related Values


Being Successful in a High-Paying Career or Profession
Millenial 94%
Gen X 90%
Boomer 89%
Having a Job Where I Can Make an Impact on Causes or Issues that Are Important to Me
Millennial 98%
Gen X 96%
Boomer 91%
Silent 86%

41 percent of Utah Millennials say they want a new employer within the next two years, compared to 18 percent of Gen Xers.

Political Leanings by Generations in Utah
Liberal Moderate Conservative
Millennial 23% 39% 35%
Gen X, 20% 36% 40%
Boomer 16% 34% 48%
Silent 10% 29% 58T

While Utah is less ethnically diverse than the nation, the state is trending toward larger non-white populations for Gen Xers and Millennials than earlier generations.

Utah’s proportion of married, stay-at-home mothers is around 12 percent higher for Gen Xers and Millennials than their national peers.

Utah has the second highest percentage of homeownership among Millennial households—in part due to more of them being married with children.

Sources: Utah Foundation, Millennials and Boomers Part I-IV; The Pew Foundation